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Monday, February 18, 2008

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have recalled forwardsClaude Giroux from the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League andStefan Ruzicka from the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, according to club General Manager Paul Holmgren.

"Giroux was really an impressive player in training camp and he had a great series against the Russians at the end of the summer,” said Flyers Head Coach John Stevens. “He was a dominant player and impressed everybody with not only his skill with the puck, but also his ability to play without the puck. He continued to impress in our training camp and was a terrific player in the intrasquad scrimmages. He played well during the Flyers’ preseason and has gone back to juniors where he has put up big numbers all year long. He has the vision and awareness with the puck that you can't teach and has a real passion to play hockey, so we are looking forward to seeing him play in a regular season game."

Giroux, 20, has recorded 33 goals and 55 assists for 88 points and 31 penalty minutes in 47 regular season games for Gatineau this season. He leads the Olympiques in assists (55, third in the QMJHL), points (88, first in the QMJHL), plus/minus (+31, tied for fourth in the QMJHL), game-winning goals (8, tied for second in the QMJHL), and shorthanded goals (5, tied for second in the QMJHL). He is second on the team in goals (33, 15th in the QMJHL) and third on the team in power play goals (8) and shots (156).

He posted six points (2G,4A) in seven games as a member of the gold-medal winning Canadian National Team at the 2008 IIHF World Under-20 Championships in Paradubice and Liberec, Czech Republic.

In three seasons with Gatineau (2005-06 through 2007-08), Giroux has registered 120 goals and 183 assists for 303 points and 144 penalty minutes in 179 regular season games. At the conclusion of Gatineau’s 2006-07 season, Giroux joined the Phantoms, where he posted two points (1G,1A) and six penalty minutes in five regular season games. He signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers on July 23, 2007. He was selected by the Flyers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Ruzicka,23, has recorded a goal and two assists for three points and 25 penalty minutes in 12 games for the Flyers this season. He also has registered 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points and 79 penalty minutes in 40 games for the Phantoms. He is first on the Phantoms in power play goals (8) and is tied for third on the team in assists (21) and points (35).

Over parts of three seasons with the Flyers (2005-06 through 2007-08), Ruzicka has recorded four goals and 12 assists for 16 points and 45 penalty minutes in 53 regular season games. He was originally drafted by the Flyers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.